Allied Universal Security
FAIL
FAIL
When private security protects neither safety nor property.
This is an independent website that aggregates news reports and other public information about Allied Universal Security. It is not affiliated with the company.
This website serves as a clearinghouse for news reports and other publicly available information about Allied Universal Security – the world’s largest private security company.
Critics allege that Allied Universal prioritizes profits over public safety. Beyond simply failing to protect people and property, the company is faulted for directly causing the very harm it is supposed to prevent.
The company's systemic challenges are persistent and have been documented in news stories, lawsuits and regulatory actions.
WORKPLACE VIOLATIONS AND GROSS NEGLIGENCE
Allegations against Allied Universal range from wage theft and workplace discrimination to unsafe working conditions and gross negligence. Lawsuits against Allied Universal and its owned and operated companies have resulted in some of the largest judgements and monetary settlements in the security industry.
CRIMINAL OFFENSES
When it comes to job performance, Allied Universal guards are alleged to have committed major crimes -- including lewd conduct, aggravated assault, sexual assault, excessive use of force, wrongful death and even bomb threats -- all while on duty.
PUTTING GUARDS AND THE PUBLIC AT RISK
Press coverage, including a lengthy Time magazine investigation, describes a company facing significant challenges. Among them, chronic staffing issues – fueled by low wages, poor training and high turnover – appear to underlie many of the company’s broader difficulties. Sources quoted in the Time story describe guards as "scared and young" and prone to "stay away [from trouble] for their own safety." They assert that Allied Universal guards aren't merely ineffective -- they're dangerous, putting both guards and the public at risk.
JUST A SMALL SAMPLING
The information compiled on this site – including stories from major news outlets, online databases and user-generated content – provides just a small sample of the public record. For every case covered by the media, it is likely that many more go unreported.
Digging deeper into court filings and agency records from entities such as the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, National Labor Relations Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and others can provide a more comprehensive overview. A basic search of the Violation Tracker/Good Jobs First database for corporate misconduct reveals hundreds of actions against Allied Universal and its affiliated companies. Violations involve pay, labor relations, workplace safety, family and medical leave, employment discrimination and false claims.
Even a cursory review of such public information reveals what can be described as a pattern of misconduct, systemic failure and corporate indifference. Allied Universal’s size and reach demand oversight —and the facts speak for themselves.
There's a lot to unpack, so please check back often for new content.
There are countless news stories about problems at Allied Universal ranging from WORKPLACE VIOLATIONS (wage theft, discrimination, unsafe working conditions, negligence) and STAFFING ISSUES (insufficient training, high turnover, missing certification) to CRIMINAL OFFENSES BY GUARDS (lewd conduct, assault, excessive force, wrongful death, etc.) and GUARDS WHO ARE GROSSLY INCOMPETENT AND INEFFECTIVE.
Here's a small sampling of stories from various editorial sources:
New York Post - Sept. 17, 2022 - Read Story
WPLG-TV - Oct. 14, 2020 - Read Story
Time Magazine- May 11, 2023 - Read Story
Security officer sued in death of a shoplifting suspect in Henderson
Las Vegas Review-Journal - Oct. 29, 2021
Private security firms at homeless shelters facing 21 lawsuits over alleged violence
NY Daily News - May 29, 2018
JFK Airport guard forced to watch colleagues have sex on security cameras: suit
NY Daily News - April 7, 2018
Lawsuit: School security officer accused of bomb threat tried to frame student
WMBF-TV - June 27, 2023
Judge allows 401(k) lawsuit against Universal Services of America to proceed
Pensions&Investments - Feb. 6, 2024
Former city of Sacramento employee sues city, alleging security guard sexually harassed her
Sacramento Bee - July 8, 2024
Allied Universal agrees to pay $411,000 in back wages to 1,459 Black applicants
FOX26 -- Oct. 20, 2023
Security let ‘burglars’ enter gated community, suit says. They shot a Myrtle Beach man
The Sun News - Dec. 11, 2024
Lawsuit says security guard on Long Beach Transit bus sexually assaulted passenger
Long Beach Post - June 5, 2024
Family of L.A. exec killed in S.F. shooting sues hotel security company it says hired his killer
San Francisco Chronicle - Sept. 6, 2024
Security Guard Sues Allied Universal Security Services for Wrongful Termination
MyNewsLA.com - Dec. 2, 2024
Mother of teen killed in Magnolia Mall parking lot files wrongful death lawsuit
WMBF-TV - Feb 5, 2025
Security giant Allied United faces another wage-violation court battle
Crain's New York Business - Jul 8, 2022
The Denver Post - Apr 16, 2020
Former city of Sacramento employee sues city, alleging security guard sexually harassed her
Sacramento Bee - Jul 8, 2024
Santa Monica Observer - June 19, 2022
Santa Monica cyclist recalls attack on Third Street Promenade in broad daylight
Santa Monica Daily Press - May 17, 2025
Private MTA subway guards are holding doors open for fare-beaters, sleeping on the job
New York Post - May 18, 2025
Security guard takedown exposes questions over $11 million contract with Metro Transit
KSTP.com - April 23, 2025
DOI report finds NYCHA senior buildings have broken doors, no show security guards
ABC 7 - March 26, 2025
Audit criticizes Orange County's security, finds deficiencies, no officers on the job
WESH 2 - March 13, 2025
Boeing strike emotions flare as security guard flashes gun in picket line altercation
News- September 17, 2024
LA Times - August 12, 2024
Security let ‘burglars’ enter gated community, suit says. They shot a Myrtle Beach man
The Sun News - December 11, 2024
Security company fined by state for hiring more than 300 unlicensed security guards
ABC 24 - November 27, 2023
Allen outlet mall owner, security company sued over mall shootings in Texas and 3 other states
KERANews - August 28, 2024
After Alvin Motley shooting, Kroger cuts ties with Allied Universal in the Memphis area
Commercial Appeal - August 18, 2021
Allied Universal Struggles to Fill ‘Thousands’ of Security Jobs
Los Angeles Business Journal - October 11, 2021
Lawsuit says security guard on Long Beach Transit bus sexually assaulted passenger
Long Beach Post - June 5, 2024
The San Francisco Standard - May 19, 2023
New York State Senators Calls For Immediate Examination Of MTA’s Out-Of-State Guard Fiasco
The New York State Senate - June 4, 2025
See additional news reports and eyewitness videos on YouTube (we're adding more videos to the playlist regularly).
In addition to compiling news stories, this site also shares information provided directly from victims whose stories have not been covered in the press.
This incident involves a violent assault that occurred at a 99 Cents Only Store in Los Angeles on October 16, 2023.
A customer was violently assaulted by another shopper who one witness described as a transient. According to information provided, the Allied Universal security guard apparently left the scene during the assault and was not present while the victim waited for police and while LAPD officers conducted a preliminary on-site investigation. It is also believed that Allied Universal did not assist with LAPD's subsequent investigation.
Editor’s Note: This account is based on a first-hand experience reported directly to AUSfail.com by the individual involved.